Casserole



Oct. y13, 1942. A. M. wEls 2,298,314

- CASSEROLE Filed Jan. 25, 1959 IN1/murale.V

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE t 2,298,814 l CASSEROLE Albert M. weisIMilwaukee, Wis. Application January 25, 1989, serial No. 252,720 2 claims. (orcs-59) This invention relates to casseroles primarily for hotel and restaurant use.

An object of the present invention is to facilitate the handling, serving, and use of casseroles and parts thereof.

A more specific object is to provide a casserole and cover designed so that the cover may also function equally well as an under-pad or tray and so that several casseroles may be stacked in interengaging relation either with or without intermediate cover-forming under-pads or trays.

Other more specific objects will appear, eX- pressed or implied, in the following description of two practical embodiments of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a substantially square casserole and cover constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the cover partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view with a part of the casserole proper broken away.

Fig. 4 is a View in side elevation, partly in section, illustrating two of said casseroles in stacked relation with an additional cover serving as an under-pad or tray at the base of the stack.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, illustrating a circular form of casserole embodying the present invention.

The casserole shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is substantially square in horizontal plan, and is provided with a rim I0 fashioned to provide an internal shoulder II which forms a seat for an appropriate cover I 2. A circular rib I3 projecting from the bottom of the casserole constitutes a supporting base quite customary in a dish of this type.

The cover I2 has a circular depression I 4 formed in the top face thereof proportioned to receive the base rib I3 of an upper mating casserole, as indicated in Fig. 4, to thus provide an interengagingposition-maintainingrelationtherebetween. The depression I 4 is preferably slightly dished, as indicated at I5, and a rib I6 traversing the same provides an appropriate handle. This novel arrangement permits countersinking the handle I6, so as to avoid interference with an upper mating casserole, and at the same time permits the handle to be of sufficient depth to afford ready and secure gripping thereof.

The cover I2 is also preferably provided on its under side with a plurality of symmetrically arranged lugs Il which together form a stable supporting base therefor when Vused as an under-pad or tray. When thus used, as indicated at the base of the stack in Fig. 4, these lugs I'I sustain 55 the body of the tray-forming cover clear of the supporting surface and provide a minimum area of contact with the latter and thus reduce to a minimum any heat transference from the casserole to such surface.

It will be noted that when serving hot foods in a casserole with a cover designed in the manner above described, the casserole may be kept closed by the cover until carried to the table where the food is to be used, whereupon the cover may be removed, placed upon the table as a tray or under-pad, and the open casserole seated upon it. In that position the lugs I'I support the coverforming tray clear of the table so as to protect the latter against the heat of the casserole and its contents, and in this elevated position there is sufficient clearance beneath the edges of the cover-forming tray to permit ready grasping and shifting of the assembly into any desired position on the table. It will also be noted that during transfer of the cover from its normal casseroleclosing position to the casserole-supporting position, just described, the several lugs I1 may be readily cleaned of any food clinging thereto by simply wiping the same lightly with a napkin, and in that manner avoiding any objectionable deposits on the table. Or, if desired, such deposits might be avoided by the use of two covers with each casserole, one functioning only as a cover, and the other only as a tray or under-pad.

In the covers shown in Figs. 1 to 4, four supporting lugs I'I are provided, each disposed adjacent one corner of the rectangular cover, each projecting from a thickened pad-like portion IB provided on the under side of the cover. To permit stacking of cover on cover and also to permit stacking of casseroles, each combined with a cover and an additional cover-forming tray, as in the combination last described in the preceding paragraph, each cover is preferably provided on its upper side with a plurality of recesses or sockets I9 arranged and proportioned to receive and interengage the several lugs I 'I, respectively, of an upper mating cover.

My invention may be utilized to advantage in casseroles of various forms. For instance, as above pointed out, the casserole shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is substantially square in plan while that shown in Figs. 5 to 6 is substantially circular in plan.

The casserole of Figs. 5 and 6 is provided with an internal peripheral shoulder II' providing a seat for the circular cover I2 and has a base rib I 3 of a size adapted to enter a circular depression I4 in the cover of a lower casserole stacked therewith. The depression I4 is preferably dished at l5' to aiford easy access to a. countersunk rib-shaped handle I6 traversing the depression, substantially as in the casserole hereinabove first described.

The cover I2' is also provided on its under side with a plurality of symmetrically arranged supporting lugs I1', three being employed in this instance, Which together constitute a stable supporting base when the cover is used as an underpad or tray, these lugs serving to sustain the cover in elevated position above a supporting surface when thus used. The cover I2' is also provided on its top side with a corresponding number of recesses I9' adapted to receive and interengage the lugs l1 of a mating cover when stacked.

Various changes may be made in either embodiment of the invention hereinabcvespecically described without departing from or sacricing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dish cover having a formation in the top thereof to receive and position the bottom of a dish stacked thereon, a handle positioned within a recess thereon to avoid interference with such stacked dish, and having feet on the under side thereof to support said cover clear of a supporting surface when positioned thereon.

2. A dish cover having a rim adapted to seat within the dish to close the same, spaced feet on the under side thereof for coaction with a supporting surface to support said cover clear of said surface, and said cover having spaced recesses in the top thereof to receive the feet of another similar cover to thereby permit stacking of said covers.

ALBERT M. WEIS. 

